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News from the
Institute for Local Government
September 2022
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MESSAGE FROM ILG CEO & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | |
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Greetings from ILG!
We hope you’ve had a fantastic summer! If you’re like many of our local government partners, this summer was the first time in two years that people have been able to vacation properly with family and friends. If you had the chance to get away, we hope you enjoyed the time to recharge.
Team ILG has been hard at work since our last update. Here are a few things you may have missed:
Workforce and civics education was a major focus for ILG this summer, as local agencies continue to grapple with compounding talent needs. We were excited to host a new summer program for teens called Summer JAM, which focused on local government basics and public sector careers. We also re-launched Innovative Pathways to Public Service, a Sacramento-based collaborative that brings together community and workforce partners to build educational and career pathways to the public sector. This pairs nicely with our upcoming statewide work to demystify registered apprenticeship opportunities in the public sector.
Our commitment to equity, inclusion and engagement remains steadfast. We welcomed Roberto Torres as a new senior program manager handling the intersection of equity, engagement and sustainability. We also wrapped up our Leading Local series on Cultural Intelligence and Bridging Divides.
Our public engagement team successfully delivered a sold-out TIERS workshop for local governments to help hone their community engagement and relationship building strategies. Team ILG also helped advance important work on sustainable transportation in Stockton with the SJCOG and its STEP program. Our leadership, governance and sustainability teams hit the road, delivering customized leadership trainings to a number of jurisdictions, as well as planning commissioner trainings to hundreds of planning commissioners. We also visited many of our BOOST communities for the first time since the pandemic.
Team ILG has been energized from meeting so many local government leaders at the in-person events we presented at, including the National League of Cities’ Women in Municipal Government conference, the CSDA GM Summit and the CSDA Annual Conference. We are also thankful that we were able to reconvene ILG’s board of directors, staff and partners for our first in-person board retreat since 2019. After that two-day retreat and an exceptional summer, our incredible team of directors, staff and consultants are excited to continue ILG’s 67-year legacy of promoting good government at the local level.
With the end of summer, comes the traditional back to school season. This month’s newsletter honors that tradition with a fun school-related theme.
On behalf of all of us at ILG, we hope you enjoy!
Erica L. Manuel
CEO & Executive Director
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Summer JAM Class Graduates
ILG just completed Summer JAM, a program for Sacramento high school students who learned about civics education and careers. 20 students were invited to hear from local gov’t leaders and inspirational speakers, attend field trips and join career exploration activities. The program was funded by the City of Sacramento’s #SacYouthWorks initiative and the California Endowment.
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ILG Board Meets in Sacramento
ILG’s board of directors recently met in-person for the first time in three years. ILG’s board retreat was held in Sacramento and included two days of strategic planning and networking with partners and staff. Read more about the ILG board.
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Team ILG Continues to Grow
Roberto Carlos Torres joined ILG as a Senior Program Manager in July bringing with him a strong passion and commitment to good governance, sustainability and equity for marginalized communities. He has years of experience in local government and recently served as the first Climate Equity Specialist for the City of San Diego where he helped to reimagine how San Diego’s Communities of Concern are best served. Read more.
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SHOW AND TELL - PROGRAM UPDATES | |
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Beacon Award Winners Announced
Vanguard Beacon Award Winner
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City of Rancho Cucamonga - Silver Vanguard Beacon Award
Beacon Spotlight Award Winners
- City of Los Altos
- City of Maywood
- City of Palmdale
- City of Piedmont
- City of Rancho Cucamonga
- City of Sacramento
- City of South San Francisco
Beacon Leadership and Innovation Awards
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Leadership in Climate Resilience & Adaptation – City of Los Angeles
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Leadership in Climate Resilience & Adaptation – City of Camarillo
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Equity & Engagement in Sustainability & Climate – City of Irvine
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Innovation in Clean Transportation – City of Richmond, Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District
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Cross-Agency Collaboration in Climate Adaptation – City of Sacramento and City of West Sacramento
Learn more about the Beacon program here.
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TIERS Public Engagement Training Sells Out
ILG’s popular Public Engagement Training returned this summer and sold out quickly with more than 40 agencies participating. The TIERS Training: “Think – Initiate – Engage – Review – Shift” offers a step-by-step framework that helps California local government leaders master the public engagement process and build trust in their communities. The recent session focused on building relationships with community based organizations and included a panel discussion with community leaders. Other topics included:
- Meeting design strategies for difficult meetings
- Tools for developing inclusive and equitable public engagement plans that fit your budget, timelines and public engagement goals
- How to reframe your public engagement messaging by focusing on community values and the benefits of engagement
- New strategies and tactics for reaching and involving traditionally under-engaged residents
- Designing engaging, fun and dialogue-focused public workshops
To meet growing demand for these topics, ILG is hosting another TIERS training- details below!
Public Engagement Training for Local Government Leaders
TIERS: Think – Initiate – Engage – Review – Shift
Wednesday, October 19 & Thursday, October 20, 2022
10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Learn more and register.
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ILG is BOOST-ing Cities Across the State
ILG recently helped the BOOST cities of Barstow, Maywood and Needles submit applications for Active Transportation Program grants. Awards are scheduled to be announced in 2023.
Team ILG also recently visited the cities of Barstow, McFarland and Needles to meet city leaders and staff in person, tour the cities and discuss opportunities to work together to advance climate goals!
The BOOST program is designed to help local governments across the state build capacity to increase access to clean air and water, clean transportation, affordable housing and economic opportunity. Many communities across the state need additional staff capacity and resources to develop projects and secure funding to meet climate goals and address other emerging issues. Learn more.
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Restarting the IPPS Regional Workforce Collaborative

ILG is part of the leadership team for Innovative Pathways to Public Service, a regional collaborative in the Greater Sacramento area focused on public sector jobs. This week, ILG launched IPPS 2.0, following a two year hiatus due to the pandemic. The overarching purpose of IPPS remains the same – to align efforts to deliver more intentional, effective pathways into public service across the 6-county Sacramento region (including El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo, and Yuba counties).
The collaborative will continue to include public sector employers, academic institutions, labor unions, workforce development boards and any other stakeholders committed to expanding access to and awareness of the public sector. IPPS serves as a pilot for the work ILG does statewide in the Workforce Development and Civics Education space.
To learn more about IPPS, email Seth Yund (syund@ca-ilg.org).
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GET EXTRA CREDIT - UPCOMING TRAININGS | |
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Customized Leadership & Governance Training for Councils and Boards
Schedule a customized training uniquely tailored to your planning & strategy needs
Has it been a few years since you reviewed your agency’s vision and mission? Do you have new board or council members or a new senior leadership team at the staff level? In the last few years, have you taken enough time to pause and think about your strategic direction and goals? Is your agency struggling with divisiveness, incivility or inappropriate conduct?
Local governments cannot effectively address the wide range of challenges they face without a strong foundation of good government – trust, accountability, responsiveness and transparency. ILG’s Leadership & Governance pillar helps city, county and special district leaders build that foundation, develop leadership skills, operate with civility and decorum and increase public trust.
ILG offers customized Leadership & Governance workshops for local government jurisdictions statewide. These private sessions are available virtually and in-person upon request. The session topics are specifically tailored for your agency’s unique situation and can cover a wide range of topics, including:
- Effective Councils and Boards
- Strategic Planning & Goal Setting
- Team Building
- Roles and Responsibilities of Staff vs. Electeds
- Governance Tools: Policy Handbooks and Codes of Conduct, Ethics and/or Civility
- Advancing Civility in Public Meetings
- Communicating for Success
- Building Trust through Public Engagement
Contact us to learn more about these topics and to schedule a briefing with one of our skilled facilitators so we can better understand your needs and timelines. Email info@ca-ilg.org.
Learn more and book a briefing here.
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Regional Planning Commissioner Trainings
2022 – 2023
Next Trainings:
Los Angeles County, September 12, 2022
San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties, October 7, 2022
Humboldt, Mendocino, Del Norte and Lake Counties, October 14, 2022
Alameda, Contra Costa and San Francisco Counties, October 21, 2022
ILG is hosting a series of regional planning commissioner trainings throughout the state. These sessions are offered free of charge exclusively for city and county planning commissioners and are designed to benefit both new and seasoned professionals.
The interactive training sessions help planning commissioners better understand:
- The role of a planning commission
- How to work effectively with staff and the governing board
- Effective community engagement
- CEQA basics
- Required planning documents
- Local planning challenges and opportunities
In each training session, we reserve time to network and discuss local planning challenges and opportunities that are specific for each region. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with experts in the field and learn from fellow planning commissioners about best practices, emerging trends and lessons learned.
Additional details:
- All sessions run from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm, with coffee and networking beginning at 9:00 am
- Must be a current planning commissioner or planning commission staff and pre-registered to attend
- Planning Commissioners and staff are welcome to attend any training of their choice, regardless of location
- Sessions are all in-person and will not be recorded
For a list of upcoming sessions and to register click here.
These trainings are hosted by ILG in partnership with PlaceWorks and the California Department of Housing & Community Development.
Please email pctrainings@ca-ilg.org with any questions.
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CATCHING UP ON HOMEWORK - RECENT WEBINARS | |
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Missed one of our webinars or workshops? Consider downloading any of our past sessions. Recordings, presentations and additional resources are available on our website and below. Recent topics include:

Access all ILG webinar recordings here.
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DON’T FORGET YOUR LUNCH MONEY - FUNDING OPPORTUNITES | |
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Better Together Nature Positive Innovation
Grant Program

This grant opportunity funds projects that promote protecting and restoring land, water and air in habitats and communities within its service territory. PG&E is currently accepting proposals of $100,000 that address a specific environmental stewardship focus area. Five projects will be chosen. The deadline for applications is Friday, September 30, 2022.
Applications should be submitted to NaturePositiveInnovationGrant@pge.com.
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Community Composting for Green Spaces Grant Program
CalRecycle just released the application for the Community Composting for Green Spaces Grant Program. This competitive grant program will provide funding to create, improve or expand community composting sites to increase composting of organics to change organic waste to a usable community resource. This grant cycle will take a regional approach. CalRecycle determines the amount of funding per region by considering population, income and environmental factors in order to more effectively reach people who would benefit the most throughout the state.
Applications are due Thursday, October 20, 2022.
Find out more and access the NOFA here.
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UPDATES FROM OUR BFFs - AFFILIATE NEWS | |
ILG is the non-profit training and education affiliate of Cal Cities, the California State Association of Counties and the California Special Districts Association. | |
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Cal Cities Annual Conference and Expo
Long Beach Convention Center
Wednesday, September 7 – Friday, September 9, 2022
Join ILG and Cal Cities in Long Beach next week! Team ILG will be hosting several ethics training sessions in collaboration with ILG Partner Hanson Bridgett at this year’s League of California Cities Annual Conference and Expo.
Attendees can receive MCLE credit for “AB 1234 Training: Understanding Public Service Ethics Laws and Principles,” and “AB 1661 Training: Sexual Harassment Prevention Training for City Officials.” ILG is a State Bar of California minimum continuing legal education (MCLE) approved provider and the organization certifies both these trainings meet the standards for MCLE credit by the State Bar of California in the total amount of 2 hours (general credits). Provider #13881.
ILG will present Beacon Program Awards to cities making huge strides towards building more sustainable communities. ILG will also be moderating the following panels at the annual conference:
Supporting Housing in Your Community Through Policy, Finance, and Communications
Wednesday, September 7 | 3:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Creating More Equitable and Resilient Communities
Thursday, September 8 | 1:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
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REGISTER TODAY
CSAC Annual Meeting
Disneyland Hotel – Orange County, CA
Monday, November 14 – Friday, November 18, 2022
Register for the California State Association of Counties 128th Annual Meeting, scheduled for November 14 through November 18 in Anaheim. Click here for details.
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Highlights from the CSDA Annual Conference
Palm Desert, CA
Monday, August 22- Thursday, August 25, 2022
Team ILG joined special district officials and staff from throughout the state for CSDA’s Annual Leadership Conference in Palm Desert. Attendees participated in educational sessions and networking events to discuss vexing issues facing special districts and foster peer learning through sharing best practices and lessons learned.
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ILG moderated a panel on “Promoting Civility in Times of Heightened Partisanship and Polarization” where attendees heard from a panel of special district officials about strategies and lessons learned for how to manage relationships, increase civility, continue operations and communicate effectively with communities. Speakers included Kevin Loewen, General Manager of El Dorado Hills Community Services District; Noelle Mattock, Vice President of El Dorado Hills Community Services District and Gregg Fishman, Board Member for Sacramento Municipal Utility District.
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Team ILG also recognized AC Transit, a special district recipient of ILG’s Beacon Award. AC Transit received the Leadership and Innovation in Clean Transportation award for their Zero Emission Bus infrastructure. | |
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Special District Leadership Academy
Napa, California
Sunday, September 18- Wednesday, September 21, 2022
This leadership academy is based on CSDA's groundbreaking, curriculum-based continuing education program, which recognizes the necessity for the board and general manager to work closely toward a common goal. SDLA provides the knowledge base to perform essential governance responsibilities and is designed for both new and experienced special district board members.
Register here.
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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE HALLWAYS -
PARTNER PROGRAM UPDATES
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Welcome Regional Government Services!
ILG is proud to welcome a new partner for our Workforce Development pillar, Regional Government Services Authority (RGS). RGS is a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) serving the needs of cities, counties, special districts, joint powers authorities and other governmental entities since 2002. RGS works exclusively for the benefit of public agencies, providing a ready source of workforce support and consulting services to meet the needs of its partner agencies in a broad range of disciplines and to help local governments meet three challenges:
- Decreasing revenues
- Increasing demands (and costs) for services, and
- Loss of experienced staff.
RGS is hosting two virtual, instructor-led training opportunities in the Fall. Check out the details below.
Learn more about RGS.
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WEBINAR: An Employer’s Guide to Navigating a Post Pandemic World
Wednesday, September 14, 2022
In this webinar, Kronick will provide employers with important tools they will need to manage remote and hybrid-remote employees. Attendees will learn to spot exposure areas in their remote work arrangements and address them in an efficient manner. Learn more and register.
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ARTICLE: Nextdoor Opens Its Doors to More Public Agencies
Public agencies can now have their own free Nextdoor Agency Page to communicate with residents! Nextdoor is currently the second-most important social network for public agencies to be on (behind the 800-pound gorilla that is Facebook). Even if only for access to the crucial “Urgent Alerts” and “Emergency Alerts” features that can sometimes reach more individuals than Nixle/Everbridge alerts. Read more.
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ARTICLE: FCC Creates $100 Million Outreach Grant Program for Affordable Connectivity Program
As part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Congress created the $14.2 billion Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The ACP provides eligible households with discounts of up to $30 per month for broadband services (and up to $75 per month if the household is on tribal lands) and a one-time discount of up to $100 on a computer or tablet. As noted in BB&K’s previous guidance, through the ACP, local governments have opportunities to partner with the FCC in assisting eligible residents to enroll in the program. Read more.
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ARTICLE: CA Court Reaffirms Litigation Threat Letters Should be Treated as Claims Under Government Claims Act
California’s Fourth District Court of Appeal issued its decision in Simms v. Bear Valley Community Healthcare District (2022) holding that a claimant petitioning for relief from California's Government Claims Act presentation requirement may assert actual and timely claim presentment and is not required to simultaneously file suit alleging compliance with claim requirements to preserve the issue. Read more.
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ARTICLE: Waste Hauler Franchise Fees May Be Challenged As Illegal Taxes
The California Supreme Court issued an opinion regarding the applicability of the definition of “tax” in Article XIIIC of the California Constitution, as revised in 2010 by Proposition 26, under franchise agreements. Due to the consequence of the ruling in Zolly v. City of Oakland, local governments should evaluate the fees they charge to their waste and recycling hauler franchisees and seek to insulate themselves from such challenges in any future franchise agreement. Read more.
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ARTICLE: SB 9’s Effect Not Clear as a Hundred Cities Adopt Ordinances
Cities and counties around the state have taken varied responses to Senate Bill 9, last year’s statute requiring cities and counties to approve up to two units per parcel and lot splits creating two parcels from a one single-family parcel. Many agencies have taken no formal action but have also seen very few applications under the law. Read more.
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ILG’s Partner Program provides a great opportunity to demonstrate your organization’s commitment to good governance at the local level, all while connecting with and engaging local decision-makers. Join us! | | | | |
